< Job 33 >

1 But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
約伯,請你且聽我的話,側耳靜聽我說的一切。
2 Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
請看,我已開口,舌頭已在口腔內發言。
3 Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
我的話是出於正直的心,我的唇舌要清楚說明真理。
4 The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
天主的神造了我,全能者的氣息使我生活。
5 If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
你如果能夠,就回答我,請準備好,來對抗我。
6 Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
看,我與你在天主前都是一樣,我也是用泥土造成的。
7 Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
所以我的威嚇不會使你恐怖,我的手也不會重壓在你身上。
8 But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
你所說的,我已耳聞,聽到了你所說的話:「
9 Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
我本純潔無罪,清白無瑕。
10 Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
但天主卻在我身上找錯,視我為他的對頭;
11 He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
他把我的腳縛在木樁上,窺察我的一切行動。」
12 Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
我答覆你說:你這話說的不對,因為天主遠超世人。
13 Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
他既不答覆你說的一切話,你為何還同他爭辯﹖
14 For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
原來天主用一種方法向人講話,人若不理會,他再用另一種方法:
15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
天主有時藉夢和夜間的異像,當人躺在床上沉睡的時候,
16 Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
開啟人的聽覺,用異像驚嚇他,
17 To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
使人脫離惡念,使人剷除驕傲,
18 He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
阻攔他陷於陰府,救他的性命脫離溝壑。
19 Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
天主也有時懲罰人在床上受痛苦,使他的骨頭不斷的刺痛,
20 So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
以致他討厭食物,他的心厭惡美味。
21 His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
他身上的肉已消逝不見,他枯瘦的骨頭,已開始外露。
22 So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
他的靈魂已臨近墓穴,他的生命已接近死亡之所。
23 If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,
一千天使中,若有一個在他身傍,作他的代言人,提醒他應行的義務,
24 Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!
且憐憫那人,為他轉求說:「求你拯救他,以免陷於陰府,因為我已找到了贖金。」
25 His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
他的肉身比少年人的肉身必更健美,他的青春歲月又恢復了。
26 He made supplication unto GOD, who hath accepted him, and he hath beheld his face with a shout of triumph, Thus hath he given back to man his righteousness.
他祈求天主,必獲得悅納。他必歡樂得見天主的儀容,天主也必恢復他的正義。
27 He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
那時,他將在人前重述所經歷的事說:「我犯了罪,顛倒了是非,但他沒有照我的罪罰我。
28 He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
他救了我生命免入陰府,使我重見光明。」
29 Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
這就是天主接二連三為人所做的事,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.
挽救他脫離陰府,重見生命之光。
31 Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
約伯啊! 請留神傾聽,靜靜地聽我說話!
32 If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
你若有話說,請即回覆我,你儘管說,因為我願聽你的理。
33 If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.
若沒有話,且聽我說,靜聽我要教給你的智慧。

< Job 33 >